On the 9th January 2016 in the Hotel Novotel in the center of Warsaw, the capitol of Poland, took place the meeting of the AETF Board of Directors and the AETF Revisory Commission.

In the meeting present were: Master Tadeusz Loboda – AETF President (Poland), Master Coos v/d Heuvel – AETF Vice-President (Netherlands), Master Jerzy Jedut – Secretary General (Poland), Master Lazaros Tsilfidis (Russia), Ms. Mimmi Oskarsson (Sweden), Mr. Philip Lear (England), Mr. Tomaz Barada (Slovenia) and Mr. Leonardo Oros Duek (Israel) – the BD members. The Revisory Commission was represented by Master Frank Vanberghen (Belgium) - the Chairman, Master Panagiotis Gialamas (Greece) and Master Ray Nicolaisen (Norway) - the RC members. Mrs. Malgorzata Loboda and Ms. Malgorzata Rogaczewska from the AETF HQ also participated in the meeting in order to assist the Board.

The Agenda for the meeting consisted among others of:

• Approval of minutes from the AETF BD Meeting and AETF Congress.
• AETF President Report from the activity in 2015.
• Financial report from the AETF activity in 2015.
• Report of the Revisory Commission about the financial and essential activity.
• Approval of the AETF activity schedule and expanses in 2016.
• Procedure of the election of the AETF BD meeting for the next term 2016 -2020.
• Candidatures for the Euros 2017, 2019 and European Cup 2017, 2018.
• Other matters.
• Discussion on the report of AETF T&U Committee from Euros 2015;
• Discussion on the satisfaction survey from Euros 2015;
• AETF Reporter Agreement;
• Legislative matters of members;
• Discussion on proposals and suggestions of the AETF Members.
• Date and place of the next meeting.

From left: Mr Leo Oros Duek,Master Jurek Jedut, Mr Barada Barada, Mr Philip Lear, Master Coos van den Heuvel, Master Tadeusz Łoboda, Master Lazaros Tsilfidis, Master Ray Nicolaisen, Master Frank Vanberghen, Master Gialamas Gym and Ms Mimmi Oskarsson

Due to the fact that 2016 is an election year the Board approved the Guideline for the AETF Voting Congress to be held in April 2016 in Tampere, Finland. The precise information about the guideline will be published in separate news.

Master Tadeusz Loboda presented the report of the activity in 2015 underlining a very good atmosphere and constructive work of the Board. Especially he underlined that many ideas and solutions introduced in AETF were also implemented in ITF because they were positively expected by members. An example of such ideas were among others: the change of the competitors’ exact date of birth to the year of birth, introducing of YouTube channel and promotion of Taekwon-Do through other social media, clarification of the policies of honorary black belts or outstanding personalities.

At the same time the AETF Board is fully aware of the necessity to change the approach to AETF strategy of development in the upcoming new term.

The change could take place in both small but also big areas of Federation’s activity. One of the small things could be proposal of Mr. Tomaz Barada, who suggested that instead of seeding at the championships the previous champion and vice-champion, a better solution would be the creation of a ranking of the best competitors from the biggest events such as World Championships, World Cup, European Championships, European Cup. The four best competitors would be seeded in each category.

But the transformation should also follow in the regular functioning in the international media such as EuroSport, significant increasing of the number of instructors in Europe – currently we have about 1439 (number of paid plaques) but also the number of practitioners. However, the most important should be the confirmation of difference of our martial art and sport in the international sport organizations.

New challenges resulting from the nowadays requirements are standing against the Federation and therefore we should look for good examples in other sports, which we could adopt and which could help us to develop Taekwon-Do.

The Board discussed about the calendar of main events in the upcoming four years. It familiarized themselves with the recommendations of the AETF Revisory Commission, AETF Tournament & Umpire Committee, results of the survey after the European Championships 2015. The Board analysed also very precisely all the suggestions from Master Coos v/d Heuvel and Mr. Leonardo Oros Duek.

Using the chance that almost all AETF Board Members were present in Warsaw, Master Loboda used the lunch break in order to show the Central Sports Center Torwar - Sports and Training Center that should be the venue of European Cup in 2017. Mr. Janusz Szaniawski, the director of the hall, showed around the whole venue. The participants had also an opportunity to degust the food in the Torwar Restaurant. Everyone stated unanimously that the hall fulfill all requirements as a venue for the European Cup or European Championships.

It was decided that the next Board Meeting will take place on Wednesday, 27th April 2016 before the European Championships in Tampere, Finland.

Photos thanks to courtesy of Master Jerzy Jedut